October in Costa Rica – Best Time for the Caribbean

The typical rainfall patterns are inverted this month some of the top itineraries to the Pacific resort areas get washed out. It’s the perfect time of year to get a bit off the beaten path and head to the east coast.

October Weather in Costa Rica

October is the rainiest month on the Pacific but driest on the Caribbean.

Days and even weeks of rain can be generated on the west coast and over the central mountains by the westerly winds called temporales del Pacífico. Many lodges and tours on the Osa and southern coast shut down operations.

Even the traditionally dry Guanacaste region has some rain most days and the unimproved roads of the Nicoya peninsula become impassable when the rivers rise and flood the fords.

On the other hand the Caribbean is basking in the driest and sunniest weather of the year. The mountains scrape the moisture out of the Pacific air and by the time it reaches the coast it’s just a warm wind.

Temperatures across the country are about as low as they ever get which means averages around 80 °F (27 °C) with lows overnight about 68 to 76 °F (20-24 °C).

Up in elevation by San José temperatures average 75 to 85 °F (24-29 °C) during the day. If you go even higher by Irazú Volcano or the cloud forests of the San Gerardos it even gets “cold” (52-66 °F and 11-19 °C).

Planning Ahead & Reservations

In general “green season” (rainy season) travel is gaining popularity in Costa Rica, but it’s unlikely any except the most popular hotels will be fully booked. If you want the flexibility of traveling without a fixed itinerary or reservations October can be a good choice (as long as you don’t want to go to Drake, Corcovado, Golfito, and/or Zancudo). If you do decide to travel to the southwest and Osa peninsula check to make sure that the hotels and lodges you’re interested in are actually open and accessible.

The drier weather in the southern Caribbean this time of year makes it a relatively undiscovered rainy season bargain but word is getting out quickly and if you have your heart set on a particular hotel you should probably have reservations.

Costs & Availability for Travel in October

Lower numbers of travelers mean lower prices and most places on the Pacific side offer discounts of 20-40% throughout October. On the Caribbean October is the high season so discounts are generally not available.

Notes:

October 2017 will be La Nada ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation – Neutral) which means it’s particularly unpredictable weather. So far it looks like it’s going to be wet on the Pacific side.

Carnavales de Limón was cancelled for several years due to lack of funding. In 2017 it was revived in January, cancelled in May, resurrected in July and then postponed due to Tropical storm Nate. The Caribbean did not suffer major damage but the roads in and out were closed and Carnival is rescheduled for Oct 14 through 22, 2017 with the Great Parade on Sat Oct 21.

The more solid color shown the more likely the event, the more shaded the less likely.

Baby turtles hatch (usually at night) after approximately 50-70 days incubation so look for nesting activity on the calendar two months prior to your visit if you’d like to see the little ones popping out of the sand..

Holidays – Bold indicates a government & bank holiday when most businesses are closed and buses may run on limited schedules.

Fiesta and local festival dates are approximate – most include events spread over a week or two so check the schedule locally for more information.